church service
Loading your saved state.
church service
A religious ceremony or gathering in a church or another place of prayer, where people pray, sing, and a sermon is given.
Jeden Sonntag um zehn Uhr findet in unserer Gemeinde der Gottesdienst statt.
Every Sunday at ten o'clock, the church service takes place in our parish.
The word is a clear compound of 'Gott' (God; genitive: Gottes) and 'Dienst' (service). It literally means a 'service for God' or 'service to God'.
Der Gottesdienst ist ein zentraler Teil des Gemeindelebens.
The church service is a central part of parish life.
Pay attention to the difference in prepositions: you go 'in den Gottesdienst' (to the church service; accusative, direction), and you are or sing 'im Gottesdienst' (in the church service; dative, location).
Wir gehen sonntags immer in den Gottesdienst.
We always go to church service on Sundays.
Common verbs used with 'Gottesdienst' (church service) are 'einen Gottesdienst besuchen' (to attend a church service), 'einen Gottesdienst feiern' (to celebrate/hold a church service), or 'am Gottesdienst teilnehmen' (to take part in a church service). A pastor 'hält den Gottesdienst' (holds the church service).
Nächste Woche wird der Gottesdienst von einem Gastprediger gehalten.
Next week, the church service will be held by a guest preacher.
fair / mass
Eine Messe is a Catholic church service and therefore a specific form of religious celebration. Gottesdienst is the more general term and can also refer to services outside the Catholic Church. For a Catholic Mass, both words are possible, but Messe is more precise.
Am Sonntag besucht die Familie den evangelischen Gottesdienst.
On Sunday, the family attends the Protestant church service.
Am Sonntag besucht die Familie die katholische Messe.
On Sunday, the family attends Catholic Mass.
